Wheel tire



July17, 1923. 1 1,461,928

` F. C. MILLER WHEEL TIRE Filed Oct. 24. 1921 2 Sheets-Shee't 1 July 17, 19.23. www@ F. C. MILLER WHEEL TIRE Filed Oct. 24. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Bg, m Malfa the wheel is mounted.

"plicable 4characters "indicate like or corresponding Patented July 17, 1923.

f t, E 'i' 'l' S 5 FREDERICK C. MILLER, OF CI-ICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WHEEL eine( .Applicationr led October 24, 1921. Serial Nm 509,936.

To all w hom t may concern Be it known that l, FREDERICK C.' MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,'in the county of Cook` andStatefof Illinois, have invented ,certain new `and useful Improvements in Wheel Tires, of which thel following is a description.

`My invention relates to improvements in lwheel tires, `and more specifically to adevice which may be substituted for the ordinary inner' tube of a pneumatic tire, and which, while of a` metallic structure, will be perfectly resilient and will perfectly absorb the road shocks given the vehicle upon which My invention has among its other'objeets the production 'of a device of the kind described which isv durable, reliable,`eiiicient and satisfactory for use wherever found ap- Manyother objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art yfrom the disclosures herein` given.`

In thedrawings, wherein like reference parts, i i y Fig. 1 is a radial cross section taken through a felly and casingshowlng `my de- -vice in position therein;

Fig. 2 is a sectional yView taken subst-antially on the line Q-QoffFig. 1;

' l Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail showing' the'manner of securing one end of the radial SPIlDgS; f

. Fig. 4 isa sectional. view taken substantially on theline 1-4 of Fig'. 5 and illustrati'nga modified forinof device;

Fig. 5 is a. sectional view takensubstantially onthe' line 5-"5 of Fig. 4-

' 'FigyG isa side elevation ofa felly with my improved tire place.

y Tn the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiments of my `invention, 1 represents 4an outer casingor shoe 'of an automobile tire, saidcasing being kmade of rubber and fabric in theusual man- 4ner well kno-Wntol ythose 'skilled in the art 4and is adapted tof fit about the'removable or stationary rim 2, said rim beingadapted to mounted upon a telly 3. Any typefof the annular 'semi-circular ,housing ineinbers may be made in one ormore parts, as shown in Fig. 2, wherein the endsof the arcuate sections are bent radially inwardly `as rat 6, and ,registering apertures are provided in said inturned ends so'A that the ad- .i Joining sections maybe placed y end to end `with the apertures in the inturned ends 6 in registry with one"'another` so that bolts or 'other suitable or' equivalent fastening `means? may be positioned therethrough to hold ysaid sections together/,in place.

An annularly extending plate 8 is arranged to extend alongr the tread line or center line of `each lof the sections Li,ffor the purposeyof reinforcing said members along ksaid median line, said reinforcing' plates constructed in one or more parts and having inturned ends 9 similar to the inturned ends nularly of the inturned flanges 5. Each'of y e 6 of sections 4, and 'provided' with bolt f i holes registering;V with the bolt holes through the ends, so that the boltsl 7 may be positioned through the bolt vholes of the rein-` forcing` members andvhousing membersto hold `all of said partstogje'ther. Similarifre- ,3,

"inforcing'sections 8 may be arranfred along the inside surface of the inner members 'of `th`e housing or casing. Arranged `in an annular'series centrally about thetire are a :plurality of springs` 10,? each f extending.

threaded and that the outer end 11 is threadedly secured .in a tapped hole' Y in the outerreinforcingmember8. as shown inthe drawings, the innerendof the springproject-ing through lalignedapertures iny both:`

the reinforcing'memberand shell member, i

so that anut 12 may be'threadedlyv secured -to 'said free end, whereby the tension" of the spiing maybe adjustably varied, as desired.

"etween'the `spaced side edgesiof thetadjacent inner and outerfsectionsv4 aire .arranged guide' bolt'sf saidtbolts 'extending thrbugh the apertures provided in the `inturned flanges 5 of said sections.I Encircli-ng the bolts 13 are coil springs 14, whereby the movement of said sections 4 toward eachi other will be yieldably` resistedl by vthe springs 14 in addition to 'the' resistance: of l the main central springs 10, and theseparatffon 'f .saidfsectioiis '4 will be' limited by` the blts Extenolingthrough;l the casing in a' direc- 'ti'n parallel to -thea'xis of the fellyare a 'Senese-f, 'Springs 15, `Seid'Springs being al .relsetlin fin annular Series, alternately Wit-h .f-'adjacent' Springs. 10. .On e h ,side 0f the' casig iS arranged en al nu ar ring or 'supportband 16 suitably aperv tifredso that ends of the springs lfmay 20 naar-iheeih'uga and ,uns 17 are threaded" ontothe"projectingends of the springs 115;- and'bearing; against the .annular rings 1,6. "l'husjvitis seenthatth'ere is provided a tire which `a contraction or expansion i'sfperin' v'ted by the springs 10` andz14 and vthe expansionof the'. tire Lin adito the fell'y axis is yieldably 'resisted-'by the springs 15.

30,: ,In thel mpdiiication shown in Figsr/iand 4k5f, .auxiliary springs 144 at the spaced side edges ofr shell' membersare shown and at .srrins'rlafeS 1.3 have been provided in an annularfseries between the sections 4', 4.

`,lilachi oftliefplate members 181y extends ,at an .tgjtlife radius Ofthelafellyithat is, Q11@ pf 'eachpf plate members-.uis secured .tothe reinforcing .member 8 and the shell in l a circumferential ydirection to 'its connection the other end to the corresponding reinforcing member and Shell member. It

. easilylseen thaty when the spring A platesl are connected in A.anfannular series tennessee 4,', i', am, boli hoes may between "the cogperating sections 4', 4', one engl `,orwardly ,in `circumferential advance .j relative to theA other end.. that the sections 4', 4;', may have a movement relative to one anither a circumferential direction. In orde th'atthelbol-ts l'shall not hinder this ctincumereiitial movement between the' cof iieeelefsad-Qi' lensated.; er any other Suit- .silbstarfia 1 means'mayfbe lennaloyed to` :accomplish tlie `desired result. his is especially desirv` ab-le` ontbe rearwheelsor drive wheels offa vehicle ehatzsaid'spring plates may over- .QOIHQ gnysbok tothe. tire caused by ya quick @Pplitiqgl thefbrake-- Infother details themodification shownin liigs. 4 and ,is

y similar to -t'hatfshown in Figs.

.f. Wings-idescribed my invention, .it4

@arianna th eaters saab@ .mede in the samerfwiihout at italiens 1 immaterial modideparting from' the spirit of my invention;

hence I do'not'wish to be understood as limiting myself to tlie enact form, construction, n

nular side` edfres ofvsaid members spaced apart, Vcircumierentially spaced springslexv ytending throughsaid casing betweenboth of said spaced ,side edges in a direction substantially parallel to .the axis ofthe casing, and means fory yieldablv resisting the radial vmovement of: said semicylindrical members. 2. yIn a device of the kind describedA and in combination, a elly vadapted to ireceivean ,outercasing thereon, a pair of annular members substantially semifcircular Iin cross-section within said casing; the adjacent annular side vedges, of. said members spaced apart,

,annular rings at theexterior opposite sides of the casing, circumferentially` spacedtension springs extending through` saidcasmg between both said spaced side edgesand conf 4nected to said annular rings, and meansf'for Vyieldably resisting radial'movement of said pair of annular members.

3. In a device of, the kind described and combination, la felly adapted to receive" ani.y

outer casing thereon, a pair of annularmembers fsubstantially .semi-circular in radial cross-section within said'cas'ing, thefadj acent annular'y side edges of saidmembersgspaced apart, circumferentiallyi arranged f springs.

connectingk said pair of annular members along their center lines, and means independent of said last-mentioned springs :for limitling. the separation of saidI members but yieldably permitting their movement Vtoiivard l 4. In a device of the vkinddescribedi'and in combination, a telly-adapted to receive an outer c-asi-ngithereon, afpair of annular Vmembers substantially semi-circular in: radial..A

cross-section within said casing, the adjacent annular side edges of said members spaced apart, tension springs extending'through said casing between both ofsaid spacedfside edges in a direction substantially parallelto` 'the axis of lthe casi-ng,- :andI :circumferentially arranged springsconnectingsaid pair 'oii annular `members along their' centen-lines.

5.,'In a device ofthe kind describedand in combination, a :felly adapted to receive nan i outer casing thereon, a pairfof rannular members substantially4 semi-circular 1n radial cross-section within-said casing', the v'adjacent lannular sideedges of said' members spaced apart, tension: springs extending through saidcasingbetween both ofysaidspaced side .edges in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the casing, circumferentially arranged springs connecting said pair of annular members along their center lines, and

means independent of said last-mentionedv springs for limiting the separation of said members but yieldably permitting their movement toward each other.

6. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a felly adapted to receive an outer casing thereon, a pair oit' annular members each substantially semi-circular in ran bers substantially semifcircular in radialy cross-section within said casing, the adjacent annular side edges of said members spaced apart, cimcumferentially spaced ten-v sion springs extending through said easing between both said spaced side edges in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the casing, and spring plates between adja` cent tension springs and having their opposite ends connected to said members, each of `said spring plates having one end spaced in circumferential advance of the other end.

8. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a felly adapted to receive an outer casing thereon, a pair 0f parallel, flexible, metallic annular inner and outer housing members substantially semi-circular in radial cross-section within said casing, the adjacent annular side edges of said members spaced apart, reinforcing plates extending circumferentially at the inside surface of said inner and outer housing members centrally thereof, a series of circumferentially spaced springs extending radially between said members, said springs being threaded at l both their ends, one of said threaded ends threaded into theouter reinforcing plate, and the other of said threaded ends projecting slidably through said inner reinforcing plate and semi-circular housing section, and

lmeans for adjusting the tension of said springs.

In testimony whereof, I have' hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

j FREDERICK o. MILLER.

Witnesses:

BEN V. ZILLMAN, RUTH M. EPHRAIM. 

